Noted Art Historian to Discuss the History of Jewish Art from Idol Smashers and Icon Makers

Published: January 09, 2019

From ancient pagan idolatry, to Rothko and the “mystery of the Jews” in modern art, Philip Eliasoph, a noted authority on Jewish art, will tell a sweeping story of art that hasn’t often been told before.

Noted art historian Philip Eliasoph, who specializes in Jewish art, will present a special lecture at The University of Tampa on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. on the ninth floor of the Vaughn Center. The lecture is free and open to the public, and a reception will precede the talk at 6:30 p.m.

From ancient pagan idolatry, to Rothko and the “mystery of the Jews” in modern art, Eliasoph, a noted authority on Jewish art, will tell a sweeping story of art that hasn’t often been told before. Millennia of Jewish art from Moses to Modigliani will be discussed in a talk that is designed to appeal to art lovers and those seeking a deeper understanding of Jewish culture alike.

Eliasoph is a professor of art history at Fairfield University where he also serves as director of the Open Visions Forum. Eliasoph is an elected member of the Association Internationale des Critiques d' Art, UNESCO's art critic organization based in Paris. He has made significant contributions to the field of American art with a special focus on "resurrecting" the careers of many under-appreciated Works Progress Administration–era Urban and Social Realists and the school of Magic Realism at midcentury. His numerous books, exhibition catalogs, magazine articles and countless reviews as an active art critic have sparked the rediscovery of American masters, including Paul Cadmus, Robert Vickrey, Stevan Dohanos, Colleen Browning, Robert Bizinsky, Henry Koerner and Adolf Dehn.